FAQ

Website Security Questions

How safe is my credit card and personal information on your website?
Your credit card and personal information are completely safe and private with Brownells. We use the latest security-encryption technology when we process personal information such as your name, address, email address, credit card information, and telephone number. You can click on the Verisign graphic at the bottom of the page to verify security.

I do not want to put my credit card number on the web because I am concerned about the security of my card number.
While we take great lengths to ensure security, we understand if you are still not comfortable entering your credit card on our website. We still want you to be able to order online, so we've created another option for you. You are welcome to select the Credit Card Call In payment option, where we will hold your order until you call in your credit card to our Contact Center.

Please read about our web security. All credit card and personal information is protected by VeriSign. VeriSign delivers the highest levels of trust and security so information stays private and confidential. This site uses a 128-bit Secure Socket Layer (SSL) to encrypt our site.

In addition, all credit card information is encrypted again after it is entered so only you and Brownells can view this information. Once entered, the last four digits are all that are visible. Once the transaction is complete, all credit card information is deleted from our site.

Why can't I see the characters of my password and password answer when I access the information in My Account?
This is a security and privacy feature designed to protect this sensitive information. This feature prevents someone from looking over your shoulder and seeing this sensitive information.

In addition, depending on the web browser you are running and its configuration, the web browser may store a copy of the page on your computer. By not displaying this information in your browser, we can prevent the information from inadvertently being stored on your computer.

Can I do anything to make my access to the site more secure?
We have designed the site with security and privacy as a key priority. However, you control the access to your user account and play a key role in making sure your account is secure. Here's a list of things you can do to keep your account access secure.

Handle your user name and password with care. Do not give your user name and password to anyone.

Choose a password that is hard for others to guess (ex. don't use a child's name, favorite team, etc.) but easy for you to remember without having to write it down.

Change your password on a regular basis.

When you are done shopping on the site, use the "logout" button to end your login session.

Don't leave your computer unattended while you are logged into the site. Always "logout" or close your browser before leaving your computer.

If you are in the middle of shopping and need to leave your computer before you finish, we recommend that you use the save shopping cart feature of the site and logout before leaving your computer unattended. When you return, you can login and resume your shopping where you left off using the saved shopping cart.

Keep your web browser up to date. The latest versions of the browsers have up to date security technology and fixes to bugs in earlier versions of the browsers.

If you suspect that someone has stolen your user name and password, change your password immediately and notify us immediately. We can monitor your account for any suspicious activity.

Are there any issues I should be concerned about if I'm accessing the site using a shared computer?
We have designed the site to limit the amount of sensitive information that is displayed and potentially stored on your local disk drive. In other cases (ex. order history) we have given you the option to decide whether or not you want that information sent to your browser. However in order to make the site useful, there is always some information that must be sent to your browser. If you are accessing the site from a shared computer, here are some useful tips to help increase the security and privacy of your personal information.

Logout of the site and close your browser when you are done using the site.

Use your browsers features and settings to delete any temporary files when you are done browsing.

Make sure your web browser's settings are set to not store a copy of secure pages in its temporary files (cache).

If you also receive and store your email messages on this shared system, when using the password reminder service, be sure to delete the message from the system after you have read it.

As a good security practice, we always recommend changing your password after using the password reminder service, as we do not have control over the security of your email account.